In recent years, handheld medical imaging transceivers, such as ultrasound and gamma ray transceivers, have been used extensively for various medical imaging situations. In certain situations, such as trans-rectal and trans-vaginal procedures, the imaging transceiver is coupled to a transceiver mount that is either floor or wall mounted or mounted to the bed or examination table. These transceiver mounts typically have some mechanism for stabilizing the transceiver from a point originating from the side of the patient or below the patient.
While these transceiver mounts have been used extensively in the past, they do have some drawbacks. First of all, the use of patient level and below support mechanisms often result in wires and other apparatus being placed on or in the near proximity of the patient. Increased contact of a transceiver wire with the patient increases the likelihood that distant movements of the patient (e.g., moving a leg with a wire draped over it), may result in unwanted motion of the transceiver. Secondly, these mounts are typically too cumbersome to be used regularly in certain applications like wide area, non-invasive scanning procedures, such as general fetal examinations. When the transceiver mounts are not used, their benefits are not realized.
It should also be noted that it is well known in the medical field to employ overhead lamps on adjustable booms over a patient.
Consequently, there exists a need for improved methods and systems for supporting a medical imaging transceiver in an efficient manner.